mood

Foods To Boost Your Mood

January 21, 2020 by Joni Leave a Comment

Food is Fuel

Food has the ability to improve your mood. If you have a fairly good diet, you can open up your pantry and come upon plenty of mood-boosting delicacies that are both healthy and delicious.

When you are dealing with any mood changes, whether it is more irritability, anger, or just mood swings, it is a good idea to take a look at your health and lifestyle first. While it might be related to a medical condition that your doctor can help treat, consider what your current lifestyle is like.

Are you drinking alcohol or caffeine more than normal? Do you get enough exercise? How is your stress level?

Another important aspect of your mood and mental health is with your diet. There are quite a few healthy and delicious foods that are not only food for your body, but can help boost your mood as well.

Here are the top 14 foods that are going to give you a nice mood boost.

1. Dark Leafy Greens
The first type of food that can be amazing for your mood is dark, leafy greens. Greens have a variety of nutrients. These include fiber, which balances your blood sugar, B vitamins for brain health, as well as iron.

Studies show that iron deficiency is closely linked to anxiety and disrupted neurotransmitters as well, which provides even more reason to eat these nutritious veggies.

Iron also helps to produce energy, which can lead to positive feelings. While it can be great for boosting your mood, you also want to be sure not to have too much iron. Talk to your doctor to discuss the right amount.

2. Salmon
Salmon acts as a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are exceptional for helping to boost your mood. Omega-3 fatty acids act as crucial elements in the development of your nervous system and brain. In geographical areas where the residents eat more fatty fish, they become less likely to get anxious or depressed, so it makes sense that it would be good for your mood!

There are also high amounts of protein as well as vitamins B12 and D in omega-3 fatty foods like salmon. If you haven’t had much salmon before, try adding it into your diet slowly. And please do not buy farm raised salmon. Definitely not your healthy choice!

You can just have a little bit of salmon on your salad with lots of veggies (and leafy greens!), or make a small serving of blackened salmon with brown rice and steamed veggies. Super simple.

3. Turkey
Full of tryptophan, turkey produces a neurotransmitter called serotonin. When you have lower levels of tryptophan in your body, that can lead to less serotonin development as well as an increase in depression and anxiety. Turkey also has tyrosine, an amino acid that is related to neurotransmitters.

Turkey is a healthy, low-fat protein option, so it is great for most people’s diets. Whether you are on a general healthy diet, low-carb or low-fat diet, it is going to work great for you. Start adding turkey to your sandwiches, have roasted turkey for dinner, or use ground turkey in place of ground beef in different recipes.

Some other mood-boosting elements of turkey include vitamins B6 and B12, as well as zinc. Zinc deficiencies often lead to increased occurrences of depression and anxiety.

Other high tryptophan foods include nuts, seeds, tofu, cheese, red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, oats, beans, lentils, and eggs.

4. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds act as another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as nutrients such as iron, calcium, fiber, and protein. These powerful seeds also contains magnesium, which increases feelings of well-being.

There are so many benefits to chia seeds, that they will not only help aid in boosting your mood along with these other nutritious foods, but they provide overall health and wellness for your body and mind.

The easiest way to incorporate more chai seeds into your diet is by adding them to your smoothie or protein shake. This chia seed pudding is an easy make-ahead treat.

5. Eggs
Eggs were previously thought to be a slightly unhealthy options because of the higher fat content, but many studies have shown that they don’t have the effect on your cholesterol than was once predicted. Of course, if your doctor advises against them, they might still be something to pass up.

However, if you like eggs, definitely add them to your diet to help boost your mood. They are high in vitamins B12 and D, as well as protein. Eggs have choline, which helps with your nervous system, mood, and makes neurotransmitters and selenium, an antioxidant. When you eat antioxidant-rich foods, it helps with your brain health and boosts your mood.

6. Lentils
Next up is lentil, which supply folate, a vitamin that helps your nervous system develop. Those who are deficient in folate experience higher rates of depression. They also contain fiber, which helps with blood sugar, protein, vitamin B6, and iron. Vitamin B6 makes neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

If you are not accustomed to eating lentils, just start small by adding some to salads or having soup with lentils in them.

7. Avocados
The good thing about avocados is that not only do they help boost your mood, but they are delicious! Many people love eating avocados but had no idea they could actually be good for you.

It is true that avocados are higher in fat, but it is the healthy type of fat. They contain fiber and vitamins B6, E and C. Another valuable vitamin you can get from avocados is B5, which helps your neurotransmitters develop.

8. Fermented Foods
In the past few years, research has shown a definite link between your brain and gut. Over 90 percent of serotonin gets produced in your digestive system. So, to get your moods back on track, you will need to prioritize your gut health.

These days, researchers have looked at the link between mood and gut bacteria. Some meta-analyses even say that probiotics can help with depression.

Whether your fermented food item of choice is sauerkraut, kombucha, or even dairy-free yogurt, all of these foods are excellent sources of probiotics.

9. Chocolate
There is a reason you tend to feel better and happier after eating chocolate, and it is not just from the sugar. Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is amazing for health and wellness. It contains compounds such as phenylethylamine (for endorphins) and anandamide, which researchers call the “bliss” chemical. Not only is chocolate a good source of antioxidants, but it can also improve cognition and mood.

For a healthier option, try to go for the darkest chocolate you are able to enjoy, looking for lower amounts of sugar in the chocolate.

10. Ghee
If you don’t like butter or can’t eat it due to a dairy allergy, you’re in luck! You can instead use ghee, which is made from butter, but doesn’t have the same effect on your body. It also happens to be another great food for improving your mood.

Also known as clarified butter, ghee has a lot of nutritious fats as well as vitamin D. It also helps to heal the digestive tract, which allows your gut bacteria to develop.

11. Sunflower Seeds
A great source of vitamins B6, E, and magnesium, sunflower seeds are a good mood booster for those with allergies to nuts. You can easily switch any type of nut called for in a recipe for sunflower seeds.

Try adding sunflower seeds to your salads, or just having a handful of the seeds as a snack with a piece of fruit or cheese.

12. Almonds
Almonds act as an amazing source of protein, vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, which helps fight damage caused by free radicals. This food item also improves your cognition and memory.

Not only can they help improve your mood and your overall health, but they are really easy to add to your diet. There are so many ways to incorporate more almonds into your diet, from dipping apple slices in almond butter, to switching to almond flour in your baked goods when you want a healthier option.

13. Bell Peppers
Before finishing off this list, we can’t forget about bell peppers. All colors of bell peppers are great for you, low in fat, low in carbohydrates, and have lots of vitamins and minerals.

Bell peppers have the antioxidant vitamin C, which helps the functioning of your nervous system and the improvement of your cognition. Studies show that vitamin C reduces your stress and helps with mood.

14. Sardines
Last, but not least, are sardines. These are an acquired taste and not mandatory, but a good option if you enjoy the salty fish. Sardines come with a bunch of mood-boosting elements. In addition to high levels of vitamin B12, sardines have choline, vitamin D, protein, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Simple Changes = Big Rewards!

Boosting your mood with food is one of the easiest ways to improve your well-being over time. You can see results even if you don’t overhaul your diet right away. Just making one or two changes to your diet to include more mood-friendly foods can be just the thing to change your life for the better.

Whether that change involves getting acquainted with kombucha or keeping a dark chocolate bar in your drawer “in case of emergency”, making tweaks to your diet now can pay dividends in the future.

How to Boost Your Mood with Citrus Oils

January 14, 2017 by Joni Leave a Comment

Citrus oils are fantastic!

Just smelling the aroma of citrus oils opens your mind and awakens your spirit, and it just so happens they are great for mood elevation and can also help alleviate stress.

On top of that, citrus oils have properties that can be used to help inflammation, depression, sepsis, and act as an aphrodisiac.

So many studies have been done on the different reactions people have to various smells by measuring vital signs and mental stimulation. When people were exposed to citrus oils, the participants showed immediate signs of lowered anxiety and stress and more relaxing readings.

Some other incredible benefits of citrus oils include improved digestion and reduced nausea. It is also effective to add these oils to your cleaning materials or make your own cleaning materials with them. They have a disinfecting quality and make your home smell great.

I always have a spray bottle with a citrus oil and water on the kitchen counter to disinfect and keep the kitchen sparkling!

When you are trying to lift your mood or just brighten your mind and day, use citrus oil directly on your skin (diluted with fractionated coconut oil), diffused into the air, or put them into a relaxing bath.

One of my favorite afternoon pick-me-ups is to diffuse peppermint and wild orange. The peppermint peps me up and the wild orange helps me stay in my mellow groove. If you don’t have a diffuser handy just put a drop of each in the palm of your hand, cup them and sniff away! 🙂

What’s your favorite citrus oil? For me it’s hard to pick a favorite. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, wild orange, bergamot…oh my! That’s why I have one of each on hand at all times, but I always make sure it is 100% pure. Yes, you really can smell the difference. 😉

An important word of caution: Some oils, especially the citrus oils, are photosensitive. When using a photo sensitizing oil, wait a minimum of six hours before exposing skin to UV rays. The stronger and more lengthy the UV ray, the longer the wait should be.

Oils for Mood Management

February 9, 2016 by Joni Leave a Comment

“We see the world not as it is…but as we are”

How’s your view? My view is a lot calmer and pleasant since I started using my oils daily for natural mood management.

Understanding essential oil use helps you seek natural options for your own wellness, to effectively manage your health on a day-to-day basis, and to have alternatives to manage health issues as they arise.

Essential oils support the body in a beautiful way when it comes to managing mood! Through the sense of smell, essential oils have the ability to affect our emotions. I think it’s often underestimated how powerful it is to use an aromatic approach – your olfactory nerves communicate with the limbic system which controls how you feel in your body.

Diffusing or directly inhaling essential oils is the most rapid and intense way to experience their influence on emotions.

We use the mood management oils every day in our home:

Grounding Blend (Balance): I apply every morning to pulse points. Keeps me grounded throughout the day.
Calming Blend (Serenity): On pulse points every morning and evening. Really helps keep me from amping up into Crazy Town.
Joyful Blend (Elevation): my daily perfume – on my aromatherapy necklaces and in my diffuser.
Wild Orange: Diffused in the mornings and as afternoon pick me up I toss in some Peppermint!

We’re all different and what works for me may not be your solution, but these oils are a great place to start. To learn more, or get started managing your wellness in a more natural way, contact me and we’ll get you started!

Good Vibrations

August 25, 2015 by Joni Leave a Comment

How does food affect your mood?

Did you know that food has vibrations that allow it to create change in our bodies on a cellular level? Food that is alive and from the earth will energize and invigorate you, while processed, pre-packaged, dead food will leave you feeling lethargic and uninspired, like a light that has fizzled out. Makes sense doesn’t it?

Dark green leafy vegetables are full of chlorophyll, which is basically liquid sunshine. It is the substance in plants that allows them to absorb light from the sun and convert it into usable energy. When we consume raw dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and Swiss chard, we fill our body with the equivalent of the plant’s life blood – the very thing that allows a seed to flourish and take form.

Chemically, the blood of the plant, chlorophyll, is very similar to our blood and, when consumed, it helps us to oxygenate and breathe life into every cell. Pretty cool, huh? Chlorophyll is also extremely cleansing and detoxifying.

Here are some other high vibrational foods for you to try:

1. Tree Fruits – try apples, pears, bananas, coconuts, avocados, nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, oranges, lemons, limes, mangos, pomegranates, blueberries, cherries, and olives.

2. Non-green veggies

3. Raw Cacao – chocolate in its pure form has over 1,200 phytonutrients. It contains nutrients like magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese. It also contains phenylethylamine, which are the feel good characteristics, and theobromine which dilates the cardiovascular system to allow all the benefits to come in.

4. Goji Berries – packed with antioxidants, which can help minimize free radical damage to our cells.

5. Cultured and Fermented Foods –a great source of probiotics, which will help your digestion stay on track.

I firmly believe in the old saying, “You are what you eat.” Junk in = feeling like junk, and rich, living, nutrient-dense food = much happier body and mind.

Don’t just take my word for it. We’ve all tried the junk in, junk out experiment, so don’t you think it’s time to rock your body and mind with some fresh and fabulous food? By eating food that vibrates at a higher frequency, we increase our life-force energy and feel more radiant inside and out.

What does the gut have to do with your mood?

March 10, 2015 by Joni Leave a Comment

The gut is your second brain.

Your gut, aka “inside your belly”, has been proven to be your body’s literal “second brain”. For years, the medical world has been trying to figure out what causes our moods to change and what causes common problems that most of us face like stress, anxiety, and even depression. These are common problems, and we know they are linked to serotonin, but did you know that 95% of serotonin isn’t even produced in the brain? Serotonin is actually produced in the gut.

What we put inside of our bellies is directly related to our emotional health. Our gut consists of bacteria and we need that bacteria to have a healthy balance or the rest of us will not be balanced including our mood. Your gut and your brain work together, so if one is out of balance the other is too.

Have you ever had an upset stomach because your mind was stressed? Well, think about it, if it works one way it works both ways. There are many scientific studies that link mood problems to gut problems and vice versa.

A balanced gut is a happy one!

Is your gut balanced with 85% good bacteria and 15% bad bacteria? That is the recipe for a healthy gut and a healthy mood. The best way to make sure your body has healthy bacteria for your gut is to feed your gut healthy bacteria. Sounds silly since it’s so simple, but we don’t need to complicate things here, Peeps!

Some symptoms of an unhealthy gut include gas, bloating, nausea, sugar cravings, and more. The best way to make sure that your gut is getting the healthy nourishment it needs is through probiotics. Probiotics can be in pill form, or you can get them right through your diet. Excellent sources of probiotics include kefir and fermented or cultured foods and beverages.

Keeping a healthy gut in check will help you to digest food properly, absorb vital nutrients, and maintain a healthy state of mind and great mood.